Elastic-fluid prime mover



Oct. 21, 1930. N. HILGERS 1,779,315

ELASTIC FLUID PRIME MOVER Filed July 2, 1926 Inventor: Nino Hilser's,

His Attorney.

-Patented Oct. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcF.

NINO nzcnenns, or CHARLOTTENBURG, GnnMANiAssIGivoR 'ro GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEwYoax I ELASTIC-FLUID rnnun MOVER Application filed July 2,1926, Serial No. 1 o,2o5, aid ,;a a m 22, 1925.

The present invention relates to elastic,

fluid turbines wherein at an intermediate point in the prlme mover the elastic fluld 1s re-heated ]1'l order tomcrease the efficiency of the lower pressure portion of the prime mover.

The object of the inventionis to provide an improved means for re-heating, and for a Consideration of what I believe to be novel .9 and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, the figure is a diagrammatlc view of an elastic fluid turbine installation embodying the invention and adapted to be operated in accordance with the improved method.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a turbo-generator set comprising a turbine having two high pressure sections 2 and 3 by a conduit 4. High connected in series pressure elastic fluid is supplied to turbine section 2 by a conduit 5 which receives elastic fluid from a battery of boilers 6. 7 indi- F'? cates a turbo-generator set, the turbine of which comprises two low pressure turbine sections 8 and 9. They receive elastic fluid in parallel from the exhaust end of turbine section 3 through a conduit 10 and they eX- haust through conduits 11 to suitable condenser means, not shown. The arrangement so far described is to be taken as typical of any elastic fluid prime mover installation comprising a high pressure portion and a low 3% pressure portion, and wherein it is desired to re-heat the elastic fluid as it flows from the high pressure portion to the low pressure portion. I

Now, according to the present invention,

instead of re-heating all the elastic fluid to a ever, is re-heated to a temperature much higher than the desired re-heat temperature and after being re-heated is returned to the main body of the elastic fluid and mixed therewith so as to bring all the elastic fluid 5 up to acertain desired mean temperature.

Inother words, according to the invention, I separate a part of the elastic fluid from the main body of the elastic fluid, conveys'uch part to an intermediate super-heater or reheater, there impart to such separated part the heat intended for the totalelastic fluid and then return such re-heated part tothe main body of the elastic fluid. There-heated part then mingles with the main body of the elastic fluid and imparts some of its heat thereto, with the result that the total elastic fluid is re-heated to a desired temperature.

My invention has theadvantage that since only a part of the elastic fluid is led to the intermediatesuper-heater the latter as well as the branch pipes for conveying the elastic fluid to and from it, may be constructed of smaller dimensions than before. This means that re-heating can be eflected much more economically inthat the original equipment equipment for the re-heating can be 'provicled'at a muchsmaller cost and in that the pressure losses in the pipes can be -kept smaller. This is a verysimportantconsideration forheretofore when calculating reheating for certain installations, it has been found actually that because of the cost of the piping system and the re-heater for conveying and 're-heating all the elastic fluid, and the losses incident thereto, the possible gain'in economy'due to' re-heating was oflset almost altogether by the interest on the initialinvestment and the'costof upkeep.

My invention has a further advantage in that. it givesincreased security of operation because, in-the event of a breakdown of the intermediate super-heater, the elastic fluid can'be passed directly from thehigh pressure turbine portion into the low pressure turbine portion without difliculty and without the provisions of special piping arrangement. Also, because of the smaller amount of elastic fluid :to be re-heated, the control and operation: of the super-heater becomes much simpler than would be the case otherwise.

- In carrying out the invention, suitable means may be provided to effect the'separation of a definite constant quantityof elastic fluid to be re-heated from the main body of the elasticfluid and also inthe branch conduits there may be provided asuitable circulating device, such as a pump, to overcome the frictional resistance.

Referring now to the drawing, 12 indicates a branch pipe or conduit for conveying a part of the elastic fluid from conduit 10 to an in termediate super-heater or re-heater 13 lo cated in the boiler means 6. From re-heater 13 a pipe 14 conveys the rc-heated elastic fluid back to conduit 10. 15 indicates a pump in pipe 12 which may be utilized to overcome frictional resistance and 16 indicates suitable means which may be adjusted to efiect the desired amount of flow to the re-heater 13 and also for cutting out the re-heater when desired.

The amount of elastic fluid re-heated varies of course with the requirements in any particular instance. In some cases a portion of the elastic fluid of the order of 10 to 20 per cent of the total may be re-heated, and while my invention is not limited to the re-heating of such a portion of the elastic fluid, it possesses particular advantage when the re-heating is limited to a relatively small percentage of the total.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus disclosed is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out with such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination with an elastic fluid engine comprising a higher pressure portion, a lower pressure portion, and a main conduit through which elastic fluid flows from the higher pressure portion to the lower pressure portion, of re-heat-ing means for imparting to a part of the elastic fluid flowing from the higher pressure portion to the lower pressure portion, the heat intended for reheating all such elastic fluid, branch conduit means connected to said main conduit for conveying a part of the elastic fluid from the main conduit through the re-heating means and back again to the main conduit, and means for effecting the flow through said branch conduit means.

2. The combination with an elastic fluid engine comprising a higher pressure portion, a lower pressure portion, and a main conduit through which elastic fluid flows from the higher pressure portion to the lower pressure portion, of re-heating means for imparting to a part of the elastic fluid flowing from the higher pressure portion to the lower pressure portion, the heat intended for reheating all such elastic fluid, branch conduit means connected to said main conduit for conveying a 7 I In witness whereoi, I have hereunto set my hand this th day of June, 1926.

NINO HILGERS. 

